The Cat House on the Kings Newsletter Volume 5, Issue 2 June 2009 ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL OPEN HOUSE FUNDRAISER The Cat House on the Kings will be able to push ahead with an ambitious schedule of improvements this year, thanks to a successful Open House, held Saturday, May 16 th . Quite a few people attended, some newcomers, some from miles away. The highlights of the event were the silent auction, raffles, the buffet of food, all donated by our loyal supporters and, of course, the cats, who were lined up for attention. Three cats and 1 dog found new homes, as well. We raised over $4,600 and are very, very happy with the proceeds. Thanks to all who helped make this a successful fundraiser. Our heartfelt thanks go out to these businesses and individuals who contributed to the silent auction and raffles: Tom Ellis/Feline Fantasies - Prather Sunnyside Pizza - Fresno BJ’s Brewery, Fashion Fair - Fresno Amenities Day Spa _ Fresno T.G.I. Friday’s - Fresno Elephant Bar - Fresno Denny’s, Clovis Ave. - Fresno Eddie’s Bakery Cafe - Fresno The Berrock Shop - Fresno Splash Café - Pismo Beach Fresno Chaffee Zoo - Fresno La Boulangerie - Fresno Acapulco Restaurant - Fresno Doug-Out Cookies - Fresno Piccadilly Inn Hotels - Fresno Roxanne’s Birkenstock - Fresno The Cheesecake Factory - Fresno Cindy Clark - Fresno Blackbeard’s - Fresno In-N-Out Burger - Irvine Gilroy Gardens - Gilroy Fresno Philharmonic - Fresno Artist Gwen Rosewater - Healdsburg Fresno Grizzlies - Fresno Lotus Gardens - Fresno Jamba Juice - Clovis Ave. - Fresno Chevy’s Restaurant - Fresno Snap Logistics - Fresno Andrea Gabbard - Oakhurst Pacific Seafood - Fresno Sierra Summit - Lakeshore Elaine’s Pet Resort - Fresno Sunnyside Florist - Fresno Karla Cortez - Reedley Chris Wertenberger - Lemoore Virginia Silva - Reedley David’s Party Plus - Reedley Krafty Katina - kraftykatina.blogspot.com Danielle Tremblay - whitelightconnection.com And to the volunteers who worked so hard to make this event a success: Leni Mortensen Judy Alcorn Sara Hamilton Madaline Gleim Jim & Chris Rudai Jan Arrants Helen Fort Tammy Barker Lisa Boyajian Alice Baltzar Amanda Avila Cindy Espino Mary Lou Rapp Jolene Higley Carol Lehtonen Naomi Evert Kara Hoffman Toni Hendrix Anne Mullin Karla Cortez Ivor Durham If I have forgotten anyone, please forgive me. LETTER FROM LYNEA Let me start by saying thank you, first to all of the dedicated volunteers, employees and also to all of the visitors that made our open house a success. I felt that my 17+ years of literally BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS is finally paying off. Works still in progress are the dog runs, the senior center and the kitten quarantine, but at least they are under construction instead of just a dream! Without the support from each and every one of you, we would have never been able to accomplish this part of our long-range goals. We sure could use some help, though, to finish the current projects, so if you can prune trees, lay irrigation pipe, place paving stones or donate, we need you! One of my next big projects is to have two totally separate adult cat quarantines, one for new arrivals and the other for sick cats. Another is Pat and the other office staff want a new office, something a little more up to date. This would enable us to use the old one for storage. Last but not least, we need to remove the decrepit brown mobile, which is both unsafe and an eyesore, mostly used for a junk/storage/cat habitat. If you know anyone who can either demolish it or haul it off, let us know. The excitement here is palpable - we are truly on our way to creating a true cat heaven. Thanks to all of you for helping make this happen. Lynea
Transcript
The Cat House on the Kings Newsletter
Volume 5, Issue 2 June 2009
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL OPEN HOUSE FUNDRAISER The Cat House on the Kings will be able to push ahead with an ambitious schedule of improvements this year, thanks to a successful Open House, held Saturday, May 16th. Quite a few people attended, some newcomers, some from miles away. The highlights of the event were the silent auction, raffles, the buffet of food, all donated by our loyal supporters and, of course, the cats, who were lined up for attention. Three cats and 1 dog found new homes, as well. We raised over $4,600 and are very, very happy with the proceeds. Thanks to all who helped make this a successful fundraiser. Our heartfelt thanks go out to these businesses and individuals who contributed to the silent auction and raffles: Tom Ellis/Feline Fantasies - Prather Sunnyside Pizza - Fresno BJ’s Brewery, Fashion Fair - Fresno Amenities Day Spa _ Fresno T.G.I. Friday’s - Fresno Elephant Bar - Fresno Denny’s, Clovis Ave. - Fresno Eddie’s Bakery Cafe - Fresno The Berrock Shop - Fresno Splash Café - Pismo Beach Fresno Chaffee Zoo - Fresno La Boulangerie - Fresno Acapulco Restaurant - Fresno Doug-Out Cookies - Fresno Piccadilly Inn Hotels - Fresno Roxanne’s Birkenstock - Fresno The Cheesecake Factory - Fresno Cindy Clark - Fresno Blackbeard’s - Fresno In-N-Out Burger - Irvine
Gilroy Gardens - Gilroy Fresno Philharmonic - Fresno Artist Gwen Rosewater - Healdsburg Fresno Grizzlies - Fresno Lotus Gardens - Fresno Jamba Juice - Clovis Ave. - Fresno Chevy’s Restaurant - Fresno Snap Logistics - Fresno Andrea Gabbard - Oakhurst Pacific Seafood - Fresno Sierra Summit - Lakeshore Elaine’s Pet Resort - Fresno Sunnyside Florist - Fresno Karla Cortez - Reedley Chris Wertenberger - Lemoore Virginia Silva - Reedley David’s Party Plus - Reedley Krafty Katina -kraftykatina.blogspot.com Danielle Tremblay - whitelightconnection.com
And to the volunteers who worked so hard to make this event a success: Leni Mortensen Judy Alcorn Sara Hamilton Madaline Gleim Jim & Chris Rudai Jan Arrants Helen Fort Tammy Barker Lisa Boyajian Alice Baltzar Amanda Avila Cindy Espino Mary Lou Rapp Jolene Higley Carol Lehtonen Naomi Evert Kara Hoffman Toni Hendrix Anne Mullin Karla Cortez Ivor Durham If I have forgotten anyone, please forgive me.
LETTER FROM LYNEA Let me start by saying thank you, first to all of the dedicated volunteers, employees and also to all of the visitors that made our open house a success. I felt that my 17+ years of literally BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS is finally paying off. Works still in progress are the dog runs, the senior center and the kitten quarantine, but at least they are under construction instead of just a dream! Without the support from each and every one of you, we would have never been able to accomplish this part of our long-range goals. We sure could use some help, though, to finish the current projects, so if you can prune trees, lay irrigation pipe, place paving stones or donate, we need you! One of my next big projects is to have two totally separate adult cat quarantines, one for new arrivals and the other for sick cats. Another is Pat and the other office staff want a new office, something a little more up to date. This would enable us to use the old one for storage. Last but not least, we need to remove the decrepit brown mobile, which is both unsafe and an eyesore, mostly used for a junk/storage/cat habitat. If you know anyone who can either demolish it or haul it off, let us know. The excitement here is palpable - we are truly on our way to creating a true cat heaven. Thanks to all of you for helping make this happen. Lynea
THE CAT HOUSE CHRONICLES BY ZANEY GREY
Oh what a glorious day it was! Our open house was a smashing success. Lynea was practically pirouetting on her poor tired toes from the sheer joy of the day. There were so many people from near and far away. Cars were parked hither and yon, WAY up around the curve of our precious, skinny road. So very many of us got lots and lots of love, we snuck more than a few of the goodies and just generally made pests of ourselves, much to the chagrin of some of the volunteers. A few of us even went to our forever homes as some folks were there for adoptions. I sure wish there had been more people there to adopt, but that’s just the way the ol’ cat treat crumbles, I guess. As I was pondering that conundrum, it got me to thinking about the fate of some of my more “special” friends connected to The Cat House. See, if even we “normal” cats struggle to find forever homes, what must the odds be for some of my buddies who have what Lynea and others call “special needs?” I was curious (hee, hee!) what they meant by special needs, so I did some detective work and here’s what I found. Special needs might mean physical limitations like being blind or deaf, or twisted legs. Maybe there are neurological issues from being born to an unvaccinated mom. The list goes on and on! I know of several Cat House cats with special needs. Shadow is blind. She’s this really sweet medium haired dilute calico who was rescued from the CCSPCA nearly two years ago. She wanders the house taking very good care of herself, using the litter box, finding food and water as well as safe sleeping spots. She loves to be with people, but no one seems to see how special she is. Ronnie is a young, handsome brown tabby with a bit of an independent streak. He goes in and out of the house at will, never getting lost at all! Bernice is an older tabby who lives in the Pink Room. She has “twisted limb” syndrome on her front legs, yet she uses her litter box, purrs like an angel and doesn’t take up too much room on the couch. Princess is a long-haired blue tabby with a neurological problem that makes it look as if she’s been sneaking into the potent potables cabinet. Again, she’s self-reliant with a heart as big as The Cat House. Finally, there’s Slider, our most recent special needs rescue. He was found as a six week old kitten under a bounce house at a fast food restaurant. I guess the bouncing kids damaged his spinal cord. He can’t properly use his back legs to walk with, so he pulls himself along the floor to get where he needs to go. He’s being fostered by Linda and Kathy where he’s growing by leaps and bounds, but his injury also caused some “leaking” problems that he has yet to solve. How will Slider, a black short-haired disabled cat with a leaky bladder ever find a forever home? Dear readers, is there even one of you out there who doesn’t need the “perfect” cat appearance wise? Believe me, it isn’t the outside of the cat that makes it perfect. It is what’s inside of each of us, our love for you, our very own special human that makes us so perfect. We want nothing more than to let us choose you and hope that you’ll choose us. Won’t some of you choose those of us who are a little bit different from the rest? Zaney Grey
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Judy Alcorn
Judy has been a faithful and hardworking volunteer for The Cat House for over 10 years. She started out by painting the inside of the shelter with her sidekick Pauline, then graduated to scooping and washing litter pans. Besides mopping many a floor, Judy has also been involved in many of our fundraising events, including taking over the yard sales when Mary Lou & Bob couldn’t do them any more. This is a picture of Judy overlooking just a small slice of the spread she and other volunteers laid out for the May Open House. Plus she makes the best oatmeal cookies ever! When she first started coming here, Lynea tried to get her to bottle-
feed kittens. Judy said “I don’t do kittens. I do old cats.” Letting Lynea know she has a soft spot in her heart for senior cats was a big mistake, Judy admits. She now has an unspecified amount of seniors in her care, including a one eyed Bengal, a three-legged Siamese and several with stomatitis and other problems. Judy would like everyone to know that there is a need for people to adopt the older cats. They are easier to care for than kittens and are less destructive. In these troubled times, people have abandoned their cats because of foreclosure or eviction and a lot of senior cats will spend their golden years in a shelter. What a sad ending for cats who have given unqualified love all their lives!
THANK YOU JUDY! WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOUR DEVOTION?
NECKLACE RAFFLE
The prize for this raffle is an original art jewelry necklace set created expressly for us by artist Elizabeth Lynn Moon who fell in love with the sanctuary upon first viewing our website and video. Inspiration and Muses merged to create this set full of whimsy and playful color, which comes with its own certificate of authenticity. Other jewelry by this artist retails for $200-$900 (see www.elizabethlynnmoon.com), but this one can be yours for the price of a single raffle ticket if you are the lucky winner!
For this special raffle, we will draw the winning ticket July 31, 2009 live on our webcam at noon Pacific Time, weather permitting. Raffle tickets are just $1 each, but there is a $5 minimum purchase to cover our costs. To enter send a check or money order marked "RAFFLE TICKETS" to The Cat House on the Kings, 7120 S. Kings River Rd., Parlier, CA 93648 and your tickets will be mailed back to you within 10 days. You need not be present to win.
DONATIONS HAVE BEEN MADEIN MEMORY OF
Clinton, a swingin’ funkadelic black cat,
Gunnar Robitschek, a loyal much loved dog, & Murphy Robitschek, a sweet little fireplug of a dog
from John and Leigh Walth
Linda Eggers from Charlienne Barnes, Teresa Keck &
Karen Barnes
Tiger, Sooner, Dancer, Blitzen, Buster & Tinker from Suzanne Johnson
AC, Rooster Sue, Mikey & Newman
from Georganne James
E-Cat and Kapoor from Sarah Jackson
Nellie Kenney
from Paula Siegel and Bernadette Siegel
Annette T. Ciano, mother of Maryann Ryan Pate
from your co-workers at Clovis Unified
Ken & Sam Stock’s beloved pet Jack from Mike & Sally Robinson
Mary Ann Boyette
from Bertha Abrams, Andrea Gowen, C. Chavez &Regina Brucato
I wanted to share some photos of the 2 kittens I adopted last year. I adopted Misse first and then returned for Mister. They are really a joy. Misse is very petite and Mister is a hunk. Mister is still very shy around people and hides when I have visitors. My older cat, Sassy Gene takes care of the younger ones. Jan DeWoody
Here is a picture of my adorable, loving kitty Sarah (aka Kitty Kitty or Baby Baby). I adopted her in April 2008 and she fits in here as if I got her as a baby kitten. Love her!! Thankful Pat D.
Hello Lynea,I adopted two Manx kittens from you 10 days ago. They are doing great! They have finished their meds and are so full of themselves. I have a hard time taking pictures. They now have the run of three rooms in the house and are loving the freedom to run and play! Thank you for not letting the SPCA put them down, and giving them a chance. It is a great thing that you do in your home. Thank you again, Debora Miller
A friend posted a Youtube video about you on her Facebook page. As a result, here is a donation. I guess technology isn’t all bad! It is amazing work you’re doing. If I wasn’t allergic to cats I would happily adopt! Cheers, Beatrice C.
Hello Lynea, Just wanted to update you on Layla! She is doing wonderful. Her and our St. Bernard have become the best of friends. She is sweet. Still having a little problem with peeing in the house, but she is getting so much better. She whines to let us know. She has been quite spoiled. She is in the house quite a bit, but she loves it outside too. She walks on a leash great and loves walks. She is still biting a bit, but she is quickly learning that that is not ok. We are very happy and love her so much. Thank you and you are awesome. You are doing a wonderful thing! May God bless you! Jenn Tatum
Dear Lynea,Thanks to Leni & Mary Lou, the stray kitten I’m babysitting is feeling better & is looking so cute. You are lucky to have such wonderful volunteers. I really appreciate their help. Thanks again, Karen W.
I saw your video on Youtube. I’ve four indoor cats! Thanks for helping and taking care of so many animals, cats & dogs! What a calling! You’re making this world a better place. Ginny
OUR BIG WISH LIST
Materials to construct climbing and sitting
posts in the new Kitten Quarantine: 1” x 12” x 8’ lumber
4” x 4” x 6’ posts 1” x 6” x 8’ lumber
Assistance in designing & constructing a
climbing matrix for the kittens.
Gift cards from Home Depot, Lowes, OSH, Costco or Walmart
Portable tool chest on wheels
to use as medication cart
KID’S CORNER DONATIONS WERE MADE
IN HONOR OF
Diana Bulls from Rosemary Mitchell
Julia Brown-Sterns
from Joan & Stanley Brown
Keith & Joelann Schubert from Vickie Moug
Kim Peters
from Diane & Rick Flake
Molly Barr & her Mythicbells E Litter from Katherine Kohler-Yap
Tina Slay
from Sarah Jackson
Ms. Gloria Shepard from her daughter Pamela Vrba
WORD SEARCH
Answers on page 6
FUN FACTS
1. Cats have over 100 vocal cords. 2. German Shepherds have 225 million receptors in their nose and that's why they're so great for police work 3. A cat can be either right-pawed or left-pawed. 4. Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not sweat by salivating. They sweat through the pads of their feet. 5. A cat that bites you for rubbing his stomach is often biting from pleasure, not anger. 6. Dachshunds are the smallest breed of dog used for hunting. They are low to the ground, which allows them to enter and maneuver through tunnels easily.
7. It has been established that people who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.
And a joke: What's happening when you hear "woof...splat...meow...splat?"
It's raining cats and dogs!
.
RAISIN WRITES Well spring is on its way out and now comes sizzle time and the end to the kitten invasion, I hope. The good thing about this year is that we now have a place to put the little dears. I understand that it has a lot of rooms for the little fuzzballs even though I have never ventured to look it over. I think I am allergic to the little darlings. I know I am definitely allergic to the name they have given it - Kitten Quarantine. Who was the brainiac behind that sobriquet? My dear readers, I beg you, please will you help out The Cat House and come up with an appropriate moniker for the new building. Send your suggestions to me, Raisin, at The Cat House. I know that you are as horrified at that K.Q. title as I am so let’s have a contest and select a more suitable name. Thank you.
Okay, boss lady, I’m getting to it!
Our pocket book is empty and our buildings are in need We have the paint and brushes but no hands to do the deed.
No sitting posts and climbing posts, we really don’t have squat In fact we have no lumber - empty air is all we got.
Our kitten rooms are screen-less and our babies can’t see out There are no climbing things for them--just toys around about.
We haven’t anyone to plan, to help us make the stuff We need your brains, we need your brawn-that ought to be enough.
Don’t say “Manana”. Manana is not so good for us. Our cat supplies are running out, our canned food is so low
Our paper towels, our kitten food is minus nine below. We have no shades for windows and the sun is blazing in
Our bank is broke, we have no hope, the floors are getting thin. The Clorox bottle’s down to drips, the brooms have lost their straw
The dustpans have no handles and I just broke a claw. Our mops are old and soggy and the buckets are so weak
We have to use them carefully cuz they might spring a leak. Don’t say “Manana”. Manana is not so good for us.
I’ve just heard of something that can really save our necks They’re just made of paper and I think they call them checks.
All you do is write on them - bigger numbers are the best. You just mail them to us and we’ll be sure to do the rest.
There is also something else that really works for us They’re little plastic cards you buy with very little fuss. They have them at Home Depot, at Costco and at Lowes
OSH and Walmart - that’s the way the story goes. So take some time and think of us before you go to bed
You have the power to keep us all from going in the red. Thank you my dear, dear readers. Love, Raisin P.S. Tuna is always gratefully accepted.
Answers to Wordsearch
Q & A By Franny Syufy, http://cats.about.com
Question: What is the life span of the common cat? Answer: That’s a rather broad question, and I’d have to give a general answer. A strong genetic background for longevity can’t be discounted. Given proper care, nutrition and regular veterinary visits, a cat kept indoors can live as long as 21 years or more. (The average age of cats is 12-15 years) This is, of course, barring any serious medical conditions or untimely accidents. Cats that are indoor-outdoor usually don’t last to the average age because of traffic accidents, fighting with other cats, intentional acts of violence, poisoning (accidental or intentional), diseases caught from other cats, being picked up by animal control and subsequently euthanized if not claimed, and death caused by predators. “Stray cats” AKA “feral cats” usually don’t live more than a couple of years because of starvation or all of the above.
ODDS AND ENDS
Every time you play Meow Trivia at http://www.freekibblekat.com , they provide free kibble to animal shelters to help feed their cats. We are one of the lucky ones getting a shipment of kibble free every month. Thanks Mimi!
We are thankful to participate in the Friends Fur-
Ever adoption gift bags program that we are giving to new adopters. These gift bags were kindly provided by The Dialogue Company working with pet supply manufacturers. For more information about The Dialogue Company, see http://www.adialogue.com/programs/new_pet.htm
The Cat House is always getting requests from
people who are elderly or disabled who need help trapping and transporting cats for spay/neuter for TNR. If you would be willing to help trap these stray or abandoned animals and transport to vets office for spay/neuter, please give us a call at 638-8696 for Reedley/Parlier/Sanger area or Kathy at 281-3581 for Fresno/Clovis area.
If you have access to the internet and an email
account, we can send you a notification when the next newsletter is available for viewing on our website. If you would like this option, please send your name and email address to [email protected] and we can set this up. This option will cut down on postage.
We still need 6’ folding tables to hold cages in the
Our newest project, the Kitten Quarantine, or KQ as we affectionately call it, is coming along nicely. We have several good things to report on our new KQ. First the name: Joan Droge, a long-time supporter, sadly passed away last year. She generously left us with a substantial bequest, which has enabled us to retire some significant debt and complete a number of other development and maintenance projects around the sanctuary. She blessed us with help
when we needed it the most. We have dedicated our newest facility in her honor. We call it the “Kitten Quarantine” because it enables us to segregate the kittens from the other cats in the sanctuary and manage potential health problems. It’s now so much easier for us to protect the kittens while their immune systems are still developing and they are so vulnerable. Some of our kittens even arrive with the umbilical cord still attached so the slightest ailment could be devastating. Now they have a wonderful and safe place to call home! The “Joan Droge Kitten Quarantine” is now fully operational. In fact it is positively hopping! Over 200 kittens have already passed through its doors, most on their way to a forever home with a loving family and some to other no-kill rescue groups. As we write, there are still over 70 kittens calling the “KQ” home. We are offering a special for the month of July, buy one, get the second for half price. That means 2 for $75.00 and this price goes for kittens or adults, or one of each!
While they are waiting for that special family, the kittens now have ample room to run, jump and play. Any visitor, especially a potential adopter, is a great excuse for them to demonstrate their unique personalities and prowess with all the hunting and hiding skills mom taught them and some they have learned from each other. Not that they need an excuse, of course! As the old song says: “They fly through the air with the greatest of ease …” We would also like to thank some of the wonderful people who have helped make the “KQ” a reality: Frank, Dianne and Rebecca Lane from North Fork, for the refrigerator; Lin Faurie, Celeste Faurie and Francie Caraker in Kingsburg for the washer and dryer; Thorie Maginnis of LOGISTX in Sante Fe Springs for the truckload of office furniture; and many others who donated funds specifically for the KQ. With the generous support of ALL of you, we have now turned that kitty house into a kitty home!
Note from Lynea: The KQ is truly a God send, but it isn’t finished yet. We need a carpenter or handyman to help construct climbing posts, cubby holes and walk-abouts to keep the kittens entertained. Another love seat would be nice so visitors can sit and get to know the babies. The laundry room could us a small remodel to add cabinets to hold supplies. Or just come by and visit the kittens and let us know what you think. There are never enough hands to pet them all, so bring some friends!
The Cat House on the Kings is a private, nonprofit, no-cage, no-kill sanctuary, rescue and adoption center
for cats run solely on donations and out-of-pocket funding by our founder
Lynea Lattanzio.
The Cat House is open to visitors Thursday through Sunday
(except major holidays) from 1 PM to 4 PM,
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
We are located near Reedley, CA, southeast of Fresno.
